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In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Question

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 Lots and LOTS of Events

🍺🥃🍸The Little Woody - Bend Aug. 30th -31st

🎉New Event Calendar! Central Oregon Local Live!

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

📰Erickson's Thriftway in Madras closing at end of September

🦇Deschutes Forest cabin that serves as vital bat nursery faces vandalism, restoration efforts

🏛️Jefferson County Faces $1.8 Million Property Tax Overpayment Refund to PGE

🐶😺Clear the Shelters: Humane Society of the Ochocos in Prineville offers specials on cats, dogs looking for loving homes

📰 Regional News

🏥Oregon State Hospital receives federal statement of deficiencies in wake of 2 patient deaths, must submit plan of correction

Central Oregon Fire Info

Updates of Oregon Fires

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

⛑️🛟Body of Bend Man Recovered After Drowning at Diamond Lake

🚨 Crime News

🚨Bend Man Arrested Following Long-Term Investigation into Online Luring of a Minor

 📰 Community News

💈New Sisters barber shop already giving back to community

 Got some news or know of news for our Community News Segment - share it with C.O. Local Buzz!

😁 MEME of the Day

🌆 On going Events

📲Sponsors & Partners

What year was The Little Woody Festival first established in Bend, Oregon?

A) 2005
B) 2009
C) 2012
D) 2015

👉Find the Answer in Tomorrow’s Newsletter👉

BEND

Events Sponsored By Enjoy Bend Life Real Estate

What’s Up Central Oregon 

Friday, Aug 30, 5-10pm & Saturday, Aug 31, Noon-10pm

VIP Admission begins at 4pm on Friday

The festival is free to attend. Purchase a tasting package to sample beer, cider and wine.

The Little Woody is a whimsical festival held in Bend, Oregon, celebrating craft beverages with a delightful gnome-themed atmosphere. Taking place on the lush grounds of the Deschutes Historical Museum, the event offers a rich array of experiences from beer, cider, and cocktail tastings to non-alcoholic options. Set for Labor Day weekend, the festival's hours are from 5 PM to 10 PM on Friday and from noon to 10 PM on Saturday.

This festival goes beyond mere tastings by featuring live music, a gnome costume contest, and interactive art activities, enhancing the enchanting experience. For those interested in unique spirits, there's a special whiskey tent with limited availability selections offering rare and aged spirits which are only available while supplies last.

Children are welcome during specific hours, making it a family-friendly event during the day, while evening sessions are reserved for attendees 21 and older. It's important to note that pets are not allowed, except for service animals as per ADA guidelines.

For further details on the event lineup, ticket purchasing, and more, you can visit their website The Little Woody.

Erickson's Thriftway in Madras closing at end of September

Erickson's Thriftway in Madras announced it is closing after more than a half a century of Business.

The heart of the community, as locals call it, will close on September 27, citing various reasons.

"Most corporations don't really care about the small people and the small things," said cashier Rebekah Calcote. "It just works out nice having a store that was so community-driven and there for the community. It's heartbreaking, really, to see it go."

Calcote has worked at Erickson's Thriftway for a decade. She said this job saved her during the roughest times in her life.

"I was actually homeless when I first started working here and got a job and was able to get a place, and when I went through a miscarriage," Calcote said. "I was only here for just like a couple of months. I had a miscarriage. They let me take as much time off as you did to recover from that."

Rebekah and roughly 40 other employees were told over the weekend that the local owners are closing the grocery store at the end of the month.

"Due to our economy, rising utility costs, competition, costs of our goods, maintenance, shoplifting, and unfortunately, the continuing costs of the minimum wage are multiple reasons why the store is closing," said Co-manager Kevin Eidemiller.

Eidemiller has worked at Erickson's in Madras since the early 1980s.

He's unsure what will happen to the building but believes it will return to the Erickson family after closure.

"We will miss our loyal and valued customers," he said. "As a small community, we have cared for and hopefully have been the heart of this community. So we're going to miss everybody."

Not only are the employees left heartbroken, but as a big part of a small town, customers also feel the sting.

"I've lived in Madras my whole life, just about," said resident Susan Surgeon. "I've shopped here at Erickson's for 60 years, and it's going to be missed. It's been the heart of the community."

Described as a friendly place with friendly people, Calcote and others will miss the people and their impact the most.

"It's the closeness that I'm gonna miss the most," Calcote said.

There is only one Erickson's Thriftway left, which resides in Prineville.

Video Here

Deschutes Forest cabin that serves as vital bat nursery faces vandalism, restoration efforts

In the Deschutes National Forest, near Craine Prairie Reservoir, sits a modest old building. At Cow Meadow Cabin, you won't find people inside. Think of this spot as a bat nursery.

“This site in particular houses somewhere between 200 and 400 little brown myotis bats," says Brock McCormick, a wildlife biologist with the Deschutes National Forest. 

Although the little red cabin looks worn down and tired, what it lacks in curb appeal, it makes up for in location.

“It’s kinda perfect bat habitat here. We’re right along the river corridor here. There are lots of insects. It’s got a little bit of meadow habitat so we kinda have this forest edge so it’s a great place to forage. And then the building itself the bats are seeking out warm locations to raise their young," McCormick continues. 

This structure was built and permitted by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. In the summer months, bats move in to raise their young. 

Even though the Cow Meadow Cabin hasn't been used by humans in more than a decade, it continues to suffer human vandalism. From kicking in doors to ripping off siding, the Forest Service says it's a real issue. So, when the bats move out for the winter seasons, the Forest Service will move in to fix up the structure, block roads that were already closed and create defensible space around the cabin in case of wildfire. 

The effort to maintain and care for the cabin is not just to protect the bat population, but to keep an eye on it as well. Biologists use this site to conduct surveys, track bat species and check for the presence of White Nose Syndrome. 

Video Here

Jefferson County Faces $1.8 Million Property Tax Overpayment Refund to PGE

Jefferson County officials met with various taxing districts to address a $1.8 million property tax overpayment by Portland General Electric (PGE). The overpayment, caused by an accounting error, means the county will receive $370,000 less revenue this fiscal year. Although only 12 of 37 districts receive PGE tax revenue, all must contribute to the refund. PGE agreed to reduce the repayment impact by $500,000 through interest-free loans and grants funded by shareholders. The total impact on the county is now about $1.3 million. The county is considering using uncommitted ARPA funds to further ease the burden on local districts.

Full Story Here

Clear the Shelters: Humane Society of the Ochocos in Prineville offers specials on cats, dogs looking for loving homes

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Our month-long campaign to Clear the Shelters takes us now to the Humane Society of the Ochocos. The no-kill shelter in Prineville was founded in 1995 to find homes for hundreds of cats and dogs.

Nickel has already found a forever home.

"He's about 2 months old," Shelter Manager Jessica Williams said. "He came in as a single stray, by himself."

But there are still more than 200 cats waiting to be adopted. 

Mayzee has been at the shelter for about two months, one of more than two dozen dogs ready for their "fur-ever" home.

There's special pricing as part of the Clear the Shelters effort.

"We have BOGOs on our kittens right now," Williams said. "They're buy one, get one for $110. So you buy one, get one free right now. With the surplus of kittens we have right now, it's better to get two than one for kittens, so we're trying to get them out into good homes."

The Buy One Get One for cats runs through Saturday. There's also a deal on dog adoptions until Tuesday, Sept. 10. 

"So each special kind of depends on the age of the dog, how long they've been here," Williams said. "So if anybody is interested in those, we just ask you inquire specifically about each dog."

Puppy adoptions are $375, whereas older dogs range from about $100 to $200.

There are some more difficult-to-place animals which need more time to adjust.

"We have ones that can only be the only dog in the home - no kids," Williams said. "They take a long time. A lot of meet and greets for them to meet. Those are definitely our hardest to place."  

The Humane Society of the Ochocos is also looking for several volunteers and fosters. If you want to become a foster or volunteer, you should check out their website or give them a call to fill out an application.

Regional News

Oregon State Hospital receives federal statement of deficiencies in wake of 2 patient deaths, must submit plan of correction

The Oregon State Hospital said Monday it has received a statement of deficiencies from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services following a survey that was prompted by a patient death in May. Surveyors also reviewed a second patient death that occurred in November of 2023. 

The deficiencies identified in the report relate to continuous rounds and viability checks; patient monitoring; screening of visitors; supervision of patient visits with family and friends; and quality of incident investigation and response, the state institution said.

OSH has 10 calendar days to respond with a Plan of Correction (PoC). 

“We have been entrusted with the care of some of Oregon’s most vulnerable residents. Their safety and well-being are our top priority,” said Interim Superintendent and Chief Medical Officer, Sara Walker, M.D. “We will continue to make the changes necessary to protect our patients.” 

Once CMS approves the PoC, they will conduct another unannounced survey to review implementation. OSH is expecting an unannounced verification survey encompassing four separate PoCs before a termination date of Oct. 24. 

Updates of Oregon Fires

Link to: Air Quality Index map

Another AQI Map

Link to: Northwest Large Fire Interactive Web Map

Body of Bend Man Recovered After Drowning at Diamond Lake

Diamond Lake, Ore. — August 24, 2024

After several days of intensive search efforts, the body of 37-year-old Chimanbai Patel of Bend, Oregon, who drowned at Diamond Lake on Saturday, August 17, 2024, has been recovered. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office confirmed the recovery on Friday, August 23, 2024.

The tragic incident occurred when Patel, who was on a pontoon boat with friends, decided to jump into the lake for a swim. According to the initial report received at approximately 5:38 p.m., Patel entered the water but quickly went under and did not resurface. Immediate rescue efforts by Marine Deputies, Central Douglas Fire & Rescue, and Umpqua Valley Ambulance, with assistance from volunteers at Diamond Lake Resort, were unsuccessful in locating Patel before nightfall.

Search operations resumed early the following day, with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office enlisting help from the Douglas County Dive Team, Douglas County Search and Rescue, the Klamath County Sheriff's Office, and Oregon State Police. Despite their combined efforts, which included the deployment of a water recovery dog, Patel remained missing for several days.

On the morning of Friday, August 23, 2024, a member of the public reported seeing a body in the water while walking their dog on the west side of Diamond Lake. Marine Deputies, who were already en route to continue the search, responded immediately. Upon arrival, they recovered the body and confirmed it to be Patel.

The Douglas County Medical Examiner's Office was called to the scene and began a death investigation. At this time, authorities have found no evidence of foul play.

"This is a tragedy for his friends and family," said Lt. Brad O'Dell of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office earlier in the search. "We have been in communication with his family and will continue efforts to locate him so he can be returned to his loved ones."

Patel's family has been notified of his recovery, bringing some closure to what has been an emotionally challenging week. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office expressed gratitude to the Klamath County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, Diamond Lake Resort, the U.S. Forest Service, Douglas County Search and Rescue, the Douglas County Dive Team, and the community members who assisted in the search.

The loss of Patel has deeply impacted both his family and the Bend community. As the investigation continues, officials have reminded the public of the importance of water safety, especially when enjoying recreational activities on lakes and rivers.

Bend Man Arrested Following Long-Term Investigation into Online Luring of a Minor

Bend, OR - A Bend man has been arrested following a detailed investigation into the online luring of a minor, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

Talon Daniel Arnold, 32, was taken into custody on August 4, 2024, after being identified as a suspect in a case involving online communication with a child under the age of 16. Authorities allege that Arnold engaged in these communications for the purpose of sexual gratification.

The investigation, which spanned from July 17 to August 4, 2024, involved the Sheriff’s Office patrol division. During this period, Arnold was reportedly in contact with the child through online platforms, where he is accused of sending sexually explicit messages and images.

After his initial arrest on unrelated charges, Arnold was lodged at the Deschutes County Adult Jail. During a subsequent interview with investigators, Arnold’s cellular phone was analyzed by the Digital Forensics Unit. The analysis confirmed that Arnold was in control of the device at the time the explicit content was sent to the minor.

Arnold now faces multiple charges, including luring a minor, attempted use of a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct, and online sexual corruption of a child in the second degree.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has not released additional details, but the investigation remains ongoing.

New Sisters barber shop already giving back to community

Bristow's Barber Shop on Oak Street in Sisters is giving back to the community by offering $10 off on haircuts to Sisters students before classes begin and free haircuts to those struggling with homelessness or any financial difficulties.

Deschutes Public Library Events

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